Malibu : Cleanup Costs Subsidized

Malibu will receive state and federal funds to help offset the $426,968 cost of cleaning fire-damaged land, City Manager David Carmany said.

He said the Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state Office of Emergency Services will foot all but $27,752 of the bill for clearing streams and storm drains, stabilizing hillsides and erecting retaining walls, and checking dams and barriers.

An $8,500 grant from Allstate Foundation, which is operated by the Allstate insurance company, will also help pay for the cleanup, Carmany said, leaving a balance of about $19,000 to be paid out of the city’s general fund.

He said the cleanup, which began about two weeks ago, won’t put too much strain on the city’s general fund, pointing out that the fund has a reserve of $2.9 million. Still, Carmany said, “Cash flow is a concern,” adding that donations received through fund-raisers may also be used for the cleanup work.